The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-04-14
Our Evening Sermon

"The way of the Lord is strength to
the upright; but destruction shall be
to the workers Of iniquity. Prov
1929.
we are pleased to talk about the
wisdom of Solomon. That he was a
wise man, even considered among wise
men, we cannot doubt. That he had
good ideas Of the fitness of things, is
matter of fact. It almost seems to
us that he could look along the years
from his day to the present, so appli-
cable are his truths to the types OF
character seen all about us. The first
clause of the text is a grand inspira-
ton to the man or woman who is try
ing to do right. There is safety in
but one direction-the path Of right
eousness, as the Lord gives every man
to see that path. We cannot travel
therein with the expectation of hav-
ing smooth sailing, and no such things
as annoyances OF temptations. Ii
there is any experience in this life
wherein there is such struggle to ad-
here to faith, as there is in the consid-
eration of Christian character, we
have never found it as yet. It is hard
to walk uprightly in the faith, with
the firm conviction that many OF
ones comrades in the way are whited
sepulchres, considered as Christians
That their Christian profession is like
the glistening frost upon rubbish
heap; that the very first heat that
penetrates the mess will raise stencil.
LIE men cannot have pure character,
and must put on cloak of Christian
ity, let them at least put on a cloak
that has no holes in it, and one that
cannot be pierced by the most casual
glance. The true Christianity will
not vanish at the first sign of adversi-
ty, not fly before the first adverse
breeze. The way of the Lord is
strength to the upright, yet it is sim
gular how many men, as soon as a
trying situation comes on, cast aside
the help of the Lord, leap out of the
way Of the Lord, and throw them
selves upon the assistance of the Dew
il, as being the better suited to their
condition. To such the help Of the
Lord is sought, just as shrewd deal
er seeks the latest novelties in goods
for the amount which can be made
out of it as an investment. The help
is used in the public congregation and
on public occasions. Catch such a
man in private business, and see the
mercenary CLEAN in his eye, the eagle
clutch of his fingers as he reaches out
after the coveted nickel, and witness
the air Of the Shylock where but a
short time before beamed the smile Of
the saint. All things, home, friends,
social standing, humanity itself, take
wings and hastily fly away, and the al
mighty dollar assumes the dimensions
of the full moon, and your profess
ing Christian of short time ago is a
night-hawk, attempting to
swallow the whole business. Such is
the character of the Christian who
uses the help of the Lord as an invest
ment, certificate of charcter.
Destruction shall be to the workers
of iniquity. Nothing ever written
contained more truth in the same
of words. We have known
men, aye, we know them now, to
scheme for the injury or the downfall
of their fellows who had always treat
ed them right; to use all manner of
toward those who had al
ways treated them with the utmost
courtesy; to degenerate to the lowest
depths Of Infamous conduct, in order
to safety a vicious disposition which
became aroused through some imag-
mary grievance We have known
such characters, and such work all
along during the past years, but we
never knew such a man to make sue
cess Of himself in this world, or to
leave it with a bright prospect for the
fnture. 1t is an old saying that ''vir-
tue is its own reward" 1t is fully as
true that meanness is its own punish
ment. The mean man never succeeds
in anything-except being mean. He
goes through life despising himself
and working for the injury Of his
His life is black streak
upon the surface Of human experience;
a miserable blotch upon the page of
Christianity; a hollow mockery upon
all that is pure and good and holy.
When he passes from earth there is
feeling like that experienced when an
unpleasant obstacle is removed
His life is a lesson - of the
extreme to which Satan can work in
the human form. His work is as a
club which he is trimming and pre-
pairing for beating his own head off.
Those who would succeed in this
life, and the life to come, must travel
sincerely and earnestly in the way OF
the Lord.
If the Sufferers from Consumption,
ScrOfula and General Debility will try